Sometimes You Need To Let Down Your Hair

Chapter 13

       The next morning was terrible. After a sleepless night I got up and realized that being locked in my room meant I couldn't go have fun with Lucas. I suppose it serves me right for disobeying mother in the first place, but I wanted more freedom. What's the worse thing that could happen because of me having friends?  After that realization mother came up to my room and let me out to eat breakfast. I didn't try to hide the anger that was plain to see on my face, and I didn't utter a single word to mother, despite her attempts at making small-talk. As soon as I was finished I was shoved back into my room like a prisoner would be shoved into a cell. A sent mother a furious glare, and she simply said, "Don't be so angry, you did something you weren't supposed to and now your paying the consequence. See you at lunch." Then she shut the door, and once again I heard the lock click. 

       After sitting in my room for a few minutes I realized that being locked in my room meant that I couldn't go snooping for answers about mother's secrets. That made my mood even more sour. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I should do something productive to distract myself. Sighing, I walked over to my desk and picked up some of my textbooks that I used for homeschooling. I might as well read ahead and learn something. 

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       I opened my eyes to hear a knock on my bedroom door. I looked around my room in confusion before my eyes rested on my open textbook. I must have fallen asleep while reading, but at least I read a few chapters. I quickly fixed my hair and yelled out, "What do you want mother?" 

       "If you want lunch then come downstairs. Your door is unlocked." I grumbled a bit about not being hungry because I was still upset at mother for locking me in my room, but my stomach growled. I narrowed my eyes and decided to go downstairs for lunch even though I didn't want to. Once downstairs, I made my way to the kitchen where mother was impatiently waiting. "There's a frozen pizza in the fridge and I only have 30 minutes for lunch, so I suggest you get busy," mother said before walking out of the room. 

       I rolled my eyes and bit back a mean response that dared to jump off of the tip of my tongue. Then I got the pizza out and put it in the oven. Then, to make mother angry I sat on a stool in the kitchen where I decided to wait instead of sitting with her. While I was waiting a visitor showed up at the sliding doors. When I noticed his wide smile and slightly messy brown hair I couldn't help but want to smile back. However, I immediately realized that this was not good at all. Mother could walk into the kitchen any moment now, and then I'd be in more trouble than I already was. All for a boy Iv'e only known for three days! Then I asked myself why he was even here. It was Monday, he should be in school.

       I calmly stood up and thought about how I could fix this. I needed to tell Lucas to get lost without hurting his feelings, and I needed to make sure mother didn't hear it. I took a deep breath and silently opened the sliding door. Before Lucas could say anything I put my index finger up to my lips in the universal 'be quiet' sign. He rolled his eyes and gave me a teasing grin before mouthing the word 'why'? 

       I gestured toward the dining room and whispered, "My mom's in the other room, and I'm in enough trouble already. If she saw you I don't see how I could explain why you were in my backyard without giving away that I know you, and we are friends. Then she'd have a meltdown." 

       After thinking over my explanation Lucas shrugged and whispered, "Then I'll just come back when she's gone."

       I shook my head and just said, "That won't work, and anyway why are you here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

       Lucas replied, "Umm well it's three in the afternoon, so no I shouldn't be. School gets out at two fifteen." I face palmed and looked at the clock on the wall. Of course, mother just had to take her lunch at three, when the normal time for lunch was long gone. At my realization of what time it was Lucas tried not to laugh before saying, "Good job Willow, I think you need to get a watch. Also, why wouldn't coming back in a little bit work? Do you not want to talk to me?"

       I quickly whispered, "No, it's not that. I'm just grounded. My mother invited someone over for dinner and I was supposed to stay in my room, but I didn't. Long story short, her dinner guest saw me and then mother and I got into an argument. Now I have to stay in my room all day, everyday until my birthday this Saturday." Lucas frowned at that news, but his eyes lit up and I knew what idea had just popped into his head. 

       "Well, you've obviously broken rules before. Can't I just talk to you anyway? I mean, I don't want to get you in trouble, but making you stay in your room that long seems unfair, and she wouldn't know. We've been able to hang out for the last three days while your mother was at work, so why would this be any different?"

       I looked down at the floor and answered, "Because she locks the door." Lucas looked kinda confused so I sighed and explained it further, "Lucas before she will go back to work, she is going to make sure I go into my room. Then she will lock the door behind her. There isn't anything I can do about that." At the end my speech became a little louder because of the frustration I felt toward the whole situation.

       Lucas looked a little upset, but then an easy smile came onto his face. "Well, I don't give up very easily. Don't worry Willow, you won't have to be bored out of your mind much longer." Without giving me any other explanation he silently left my backyard and climbed over the fence. I turned away from the sliding doors, after shutting them, and sat back down. When the pizza was done I ate it silently with mother. Afterwards she walked me back up to my room and locked the door without uttering a single word. 

       When the door was shut, I walked over to my mirror and contemplated my angry expression. I raised the corner of my lips into an amused smile. I briefly considered if my angry glare was what kept mother from talking, and if it was then I was glad. I was definitely not in the mood to play nice right now. Then I thought about Lucas, and a genuine smile crept onto my face.